Article
February 23, 2010
Welders on welding
Welding ranked No. 5 on CareerCast.com's worst jobs list . The company recently researched 200 different positions using five measurement criteria—stress, working environment, physical demands, income, and hiring outlook. According to the report generated by this research, the top 10 best... Read more...
Article
November 24, 2009
Article
September 29, 2009
Newbie mistakes made, experience gained
We all make mistakes. What's important is that we learn from them. However, some mistakes on a welding job can be disastrous and should be prevented at all costs. I speak from experience. I had been a maintenance and fabrication welder at a shop and black iron plant for a few years, but I... Read more...
Article
September 1, 2009
Robotic pipe welding with a human touch
Pipe welders follow "spool" drawings that map out how the fit-ups are to be joined and how they fit into the overall piping structure to be constructed in the field.
When it comes to welding pipe, a welder has to be highly skilled and prepared for many variables. No two jobs are... Read more...
Article
August 1, 2009
Don't forget the fixturing
Specifying and purchasing a robotic welding system can be a confusing process requiring predictions about future volumes and types of jobs. Along the way, the robotic system manufacturer and the integrator, if you are working with one, will help specify the best system for your application.... Read more...
Article
August 1, 2009
Stick welding: Tips for top performance
For those who are new to it or perhaps who don't weld every day, stick welding—also known as shielded metal arc welding (SMAW)—is one of the more difficult processes to learn. Experienced welders who can pick up a stinger, pop an electrode in, and lay down great welds time after time... Read more...
Article
July 28, 2009
Learn your trade, pay your dues
I've paid my dues during my long and crazy welding career. I've had good jobs and bad jobs, good bosses and bad bosses, and I've met good and bad people in the field. In my opinion, one good person makes up for a bunch of lousy people. Which do you want to be? Starting Out I began my... Read more...
Spanish
July 22, 2009
GTAW la delgada línea
Lo delgado está de moda—es decir, para materiales.
Por los estrictos requerimientos de peso, espacio y diseño en sectores que van desde el procesado de tubos hasta el espacio aéreo, más aplicaciones requieren con frecuencia materiales como acero inoxidable, acero suave y aluminio de ¼ de... Read more...
Article
July 2, 2009
Rolling it just so
Figure 1
A precision operation at BEPeterson forms rolled sections to +/- 1/32 inch on circumference.
Walk onto the floor at BEPeterson (BEP) and nothing looks particularly out of the ordinary for a contract manufacturer specializing in large fabrications. There' the 53-foot-long,... Read more...
Article
June 30, 2009
Welding aluminum
Selecting an appropriate filler alloy for welding aluminum differs from selecting a filler alloy for welding steels. In the case of steel, selection is primarily a matter of matching the tensile strength of the filler metal to that of the base alloy. For aluminum, many variables come into... Read more...
Article
May 26, 2009
Sensors in the welding environment
Figure 1
A sensor that is not expected to last beyond exposure to 5,000 weld flashes might have a very limited life in a robotic welding cell.
Sensors play a pivotal role in ensuring production quality in welding environments. The automotive industry, for example, relies heavily on... Read more...
Article
May 26, 2009
Article
March 24, 2009
Age before welding in T6
In the last Aluminum Workshop, you talked about improving the welded strength of 6061 by welding in the T4 temper and aging after welding. But what happens if we weld in the T6 temper and age after welding? Does the weld get stronger, or does the extra aging cycle overage the T6 base material... Read more...
Article
March 10, 2009
You can plasma cut it, but can you weld it?
A lot happens in a plasma arc from its generation at the electrode surface to the workpiece. Among numerous other factors, the plasma forming gas and its surrounding shield material, be it gas or liquid, play a major role in the final cut quality.
A high-quality cut is characterized by a low... Read more...
Article
March 10, 2009
Think females can't weld? Think again
"Girls can't weld!" That's what one of my students nicknamed "Bucky" said many years ago as a lone female walked into my all-male welding shop. Seventeen guys and one gal, I can only imagine how she felt walking into that class. I had just completed a teaching internship at a trade school... Read more...
Article
March 9, 2009
Putting a few end forming basics to work
End forming processes are used to change the shape of a significant majority of fabricated tube ends. Quite often one or both tube ends must be formed to mate to another part. The mating part might be another tube, a small component such as a fuel pump, or a large component such as an... Read more...
Article
February 24, 2009
Teen race car driver promotes manufacturing careers
Figure 1
Race footage in Brennan's presentation drew attention to messages on ethics and values.
When Brennan Palmiter started racing go-carts at age seven, no one knew it was the beginning of an obsession. When he moved up to stock cars at 13, he discovered his obsession was... Read more...
Article
February 24, 2009
Rapid Creek Cutters—The second time around
Pat Burrington, the man in the one-man shop, Inkom, Idaho-based Rapid Creek Cutters, believes that if you are thinking about a career in welding, you seriously should think about starting your own small business at some point in your life … "maybe not right out of the gate, but... Read more...
Article
January 27, 2009
Don't rule out plasma for cutting aluminum
Plasma cutting isn't new. But like any technology, it has its share of new developments. In any discussion about how to cut metal, it's right up there with laser and waterjet. The technology gets a bad rap, though, when the discussion turns to cutting aluminum.
Plasma cutting has been... Read more...
Article
January 15, 2009
Keeping welding costs from spiraling out of control
Figure 1
Skyline Steel’s Cartersville, Ga.-based facility has been making spiral pipe with the same mill equipment that was originally installed in 1992.
The large-diameter pipe used for the transmission of gas and oil traditionally has been made using either the longitudinal or... Read more...
Article
January 13, 2009
We're all in this together: Fighting negativity
Man oh man, is negativity rampant today. Turn on the news, and you're hammered with it, mainly because bad news sells better than good news, and with 24 hours of our time to fill, the more bad the better. But with the current economic crisis, the bad is being hammered into my head by the... Read more...
Article
November 25, 2008
Do your welds pass muster?
When competing in a global economy, it pays to weld it right the first time.
Rework and scrap add significant cost to a manufacturer's balance sheet. Missed delivery dates increase customer dissatisfaction and defection. Poor weld quality may even cause a customer to carry excessive... Read more...
Article
November 25, 2008
Getting the weld right the first time
Yes, Victory, there is a quality clause. Well, it's not specifically stated as a quality clause in the employee handbook, but it's understood by the 170 employees who comprise Victory Industrial Products LLC, Batavia, Ohio. If they don't get the quality right in the design and fabrication of... Read more...
Article
November 25, 2008
Measuring up as a welder
Knowing how to read a tape measure, or I should say not knowing how to read a tape measure, caused me a lot of aggravation one day. I was working on a power house out in the Texas Panhandle in the middle of winter and it was cold! Around 20 below with the wind chill and I was working 20... Read more...
Article
October 28, 2008
TIG for titanium tubing
Titanium is 45 percent lighter than steel, 60 percent heavier than aluminum, and more than three times stronger than either of them. While it is much more expensive than many other metals, it has greater corrosion resistance, lower life-cycle costs, longer service life, and drastically... Read more...
Article
October 14, 2008
Article
October 14, 2008
Growing season: Fabricating for agriculture
A worker at FSI Fabrication welds a heavy hitch onto the front of a mobile spreader. The Curfmans live in Sunnyside, Wash., an enviable place amid the wineries proliferating in the Yakima River Valley, southeast of Seattle. Their company, FSI Fabrication Inc., manufactures products for what... Read more...
Article
September 30, 2008
Welding hazards and how to prevent them
In my articles, I relate some of the funny, crazy, and scary things I've seen or had happen to me. I do this for several reasons. One, because some of the events are funny, and two, because I hope disclosing some of the scary stuff will help prevent the same thing from happening to someone... Read more...
Article
August 26, 2008
GTAW the thin line
Thin is in—for materials, that is. Because of stringent weight, space, and design requirements in sectors ranging from tube processing to aerospace, more applications frequently call for materials such as stainless steel, mild steel, and aluminum inch and thinner. And often these... Read more...
Article
August 26, 2008
When does a punch/laser make sense?
Shops that process enough of the right parts can increase uptime and reduce secondary operations with a combination punch/laser machine. Photo courtesy of TRUMPF Inc.
Business growth led Hawkeye Industries President and CEO Bryan Hawkins to seek a machine that could punch and laser-cut... Read more...
Article
July 29, 2008
Becoming the best danged welder on the block
In recent articles I've asked why in the heck you'd want to weld , and I've discussed what companies want from workers , so now I figure I'll discuss welding itself. I'm writing more for new welders, but it never hurts to hear this information again, even if you're an old hand.... Read more...
Article
July 29, 2008
20,000 welds under the sea
Globe-trotting to places like Rio and Curaçao sounds like an adventure out of a spy movie. It's actually just another day at work for the underwater welding pros at Miami Diver Inc., Miami. Miami Diver and its partners in the SubSea Solutions Alliance specialize in the underwater... Read more...
Article
July 15, 2008
Preventing torch fires in welding and cutting operations
Sparks from welding and cutting torches can easily ignite structural members and insulation, as well as combustible gases and liquids. Photo courtesy of NFPA.
In March fire destroyed the 150,000-square-foot Cargill Meat Solutions plant in Booneville, Ark., and forced residents in the... Read more...
Article
June 17, 2008
Auto weld that ends well
The robotic welding cell Tommy Gate Co. installed two years ago has a footprint roughly 20 feet by 20 feet. Three years ago Peter Dunlop, production supervisor for Tommy Gate Co./Woodbine Manufacturing at the time, and Andrew Fitzgibbon, a manufacturing engineer, asked themselves a question... Read more...
Article
May 27, 2008
Where is the welding management?
Management is best described by the functions it wields, including a certain list of activities for the purpose of achieving a goal. Industrial companies flourish or fail depending on the results of their management operations.
Companies with welding departments, big or small, should... Read more...
Article
May 13, 2008
Driven to integrate
A Parkview Metal Products worker operates a stamping press at the company's facility in Lake Zurich, IL. Parkview produces components for the automotive industry, consumer electronics, and barbecue grills. Changes come often in the steel industry. An item manufactured in the U.S. today can... Read more...
Article
May 13, 2008
What do companies want from their workers?
As an author, my trademark is beginning my articles with something stupid I've done. Fortunately, or unfortunately I have a huge list to choose from, but I'm proud to say I at least have learned from a lot of 'em. One thing I tell my students is I'm not afraid to admit I make mistakes;... Read more...
Article
April 15, 2008
Of cars, this specialty vehicle manufacturer can do it
M&M Vehicle President Chris Miller stands in front of a cart of fabricated aluminum parts that help change a golf car into "anything other than a golf car." When you first hear Chris Miller describe his company as a fabricator that customizes parts to turn used golf cars into "anything... Read more...
Article
April 15, 2008
Curving out a niche
In celebration of its 50th anniversary in April 2005, McDonald's® opened a 24,000-square-foot restaurant in Chicago. The fast-food chain wanted to highlight both its past and its future, and to that end the restaurant features the red and white colors of founder Ray Kroc's first building,... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2008
The facts on welding titanium
Many engineers and fabricators believe that titanium is a mysterious and difficult metal to weld—a fact that contributes to its exclusivity and relegates it to the high-end performance requirements of the aerospace market, the distance-driving desires of golfers, and the need-for-speed... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2008
Virtually welding
A virtual reality simulation of gas metal arc welding a fillet weld. A recent study led to an odd conclusion: Playing video games may produce better surgeons. Really, it's true, at least according to researchers at the Banner Health Center in Phoenix. They had surgical residents play... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2008
Recruit, train, and retain
The FABRICATOR's Editorial Advisory Board meets to discuss ways to find new talent and keep them interested in manufacturing as a career choice. Time has passed, but the times haven't changed that much. A little over two years ago The FABRICATOR's Editorial Advisory Board engaged in a... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2008
The nanofiber factor
Cartridge filters with nanofiber technology are capable of filtering submicronic particles. Maintaining good indoor air quality in a factory isn't just a matter of choosing the right air pollution control equipment and configuring it to meet the needs of the facility. Selecting the correct... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2008
Learning TIG
Photo courtesy of The Lincoln Electric Company Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), which used to be called heliarc, is referred to by most welders in the shop and field as TIG. In the field, TIG applications include welding stainless in the food industry; stainless, aluminum, titanium, and... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2008
Cleaning the air, boosting morale
An aggressive approach to health and safety and an equally uncompromising approach to air filtration at the E&E Manufacturing Plant in Plymouth, Mich., has helped the company earn a safety award from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), garnered appreciation from its... Read more...
Article
February 26, 2008
Go! Brennan
Brennan Palmiter and his stock car What moves faster than Brennan Palmiter's stock car? Palmiter himself—a young (16), motivated, bright, articulate, energetic dynamo who lives life to the fullest and wants to help other young people do the same. Palmiter, a Livingood Motorsports... Read more...
Article
February 12, 2008
Nothing standard about this fab shop
After five years of working for a family-owned metal fabricating business in eastern Connecticut, Rob Marelli wanted to do things his way. He approached the president with an offer to buy the company from him, but he was soon gone with a handshake and a letter of recommendation.
He eyed... Read more...
Article
January 29, 2008
Article
January 15, 2008
Why in the heck would you want to weld?
In the high school welding classes I teach, I try to include craftsmen, college/trade school representatives, and military recruiters as guests. After the recruiters leave, I add a few things they always seem to leave out. Like how in the Army I never seemed to have hot water for showers,... Read more...
Article
January 15, 2008
Keeping consumables from consuming welding profits
The employees of Tico Manufacturing Inc., Ridgeland, S.C., know a few things about the importance of durability. The company builds terminal trucks and trailers that load and unload shipping cargo weighing up to 300,000 pounds.
"Our trucks are not made to be cosmetically beautiful pieces... Read more...
Article
January 15, 2008
Salvaging damaged shafts
Photo courtesy of B+B Dynamo + Armature Ltd., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Shafts are important, highly stressed mechanical elements used to transmit rotary motion from a driver unit to a driven part. Like any other component, a shaft can fail by one of a series of failure modes. If the... Read more...
Article
January 15, 2008
Welding helmets in view
Lincoln Electric's VISTA Choosing the right welding helmet is not as easy as it once was. Technology advances have turned these once simple pieces of protective equipment into smart, lightweight safety devices that, in some cases, can adapt their settings automatically to accommodate... Read more...
Article
October 9, 2007
Article
October 9, 2007
Cure for the welder shortage
Photo courtesy of EAA Sportair workshops Everyone in the welding field is talking about the welder shortage. Every meeting I attend, the talk surrounds the need for welders. As a certified welding educator working in an institution of higher learning, I am inundated with calls for... Read more...
Article
September 11, 2007
Structural adhesives form strong bond with signage
Sign-makers have long sought a way to improve durability and aesthetics and reduce the labor-intensive steps associated with welding, taping, and fastening. Today's adhesives can structurally bond metals to plastics with unique design, production, and cost benefits. Structural adhesives are... Read more...
Article
September 11, 2007
A high-flying metal fabricator
Mention the word airplane to most people, and they'll likely think of jet-powered superjumbo aircraft and the ongoing battle between the two titans, Boeing and Airbus. Among Boeing's largest is the 747-400. It measures 232 feet long, has a wing span of 211 feet, has a range of 7,260 nautical... Read more...
Article
September 11, 2007
Improvements to CNC plasma technology
A plasma cutting table is a workhorse in most fab shops. The technology has seen great improvements over the years, and it's worthwhile to take a look at its evolution. Not coincidentally, plasma technology's growth has coincided with technology improvements starting with the CNC. Computer... Read more...
Article
September 11, 2007
The tipping point
Contact tip recess isn't usually the first thing welders think about when they contemplate getting the best performance from their gas metal arc welding (GMAW) equipment. Using the wrong contact tip recess, however, can make a quality weld difficult to produce with even the best equipment and... Read more...
Article
September 11, 2007
Minimizing weld cleaning stripes
I'm fabricating toolboxes for pickup trucks using gas metal arc welding (GMAW) and polished aluminum tread plate. The cleaning stripes along each side of the weld are wide and detract from the appearance of the toolbox. Please don't tell me to wire-brush the weld because this stands out even... Read more...
Article
August 8, 2007
Mode of least resistance
Figure 1 This schematic of a weld setup shows top and bottom electrodes (red) holding parts to be welded. Rw is the total of all resistances that directly or indirectly contribute heat to the weld interface; Rw is the sum of multiple contact/interface resistances and bulk resistances. Ro is... Read more...
Spanish
July 10, 2007
No hay nada más sano que una bocanada de aire fresco
La mayoría de los soldadores que usan poderosas herramientas y equipo comprenden los riesgos de seguridad asociados con éstos.
Algunos riesgos para la salud relacionados con soldar, especialmente con soldadura por arco, son obvios. Por ejemplo, usted sabe que no debe ver el arco, pero puede... Read more...
Article
July 10, 2007
Let 'er rip
WWU's Jake Parks drives the Viking 41 at the 2006 Mini Baja competition. Earning a reputation for innovation and quality is a difficult task. It is particularly difficult but equally impressive when this is achieved with a rotating group of students at a public university. That is exactly... Read more...
Article
July 10, 2007
Why welders need advanced training
Welding trade publications are loaded with headlines proclaiming, "Critical welder shortage!" This fact is undeniable, but we need to add, "Many welders are undertrained!" Vocational schools (now referred to as technical centers) do a good job with hands-on training. (I need to say as an... Read more...
Article
July 10, 2007
Lost and found
The body of the car Ulman titled "Gone Postal" is made from an old U.S. mailbox. Photos Justin Craig Roth. It isn't easy to take a perfectionist's approach to found-object sculpture. The first task is finding the right pieces that will help create a shell of the project, let's say a car.... Read more...
Article
July 10, 2007
Fabricator finds new opportunities in energy sector
Welding chrome-moly steel has strict requirements concerning the welding process, preheat temperatures, and postheat temperatures. The specifications provided by the engineers for the New Hope Power Partnership project required GTAW on the first three passes of the pipe. Founded in 1988 in... Read more...
Article
July 10, 2007
Article
July 10, 2007
Planning a career in welding: A young person's guide
You can embark on a successful career even before beginning work by choosing a profession that fills your heart with enthusiasm, setting the career goals you want to reach, and outlining the steps necessary to achieve the goals within a reasonable time frame. Embarking on a lifetime... Read more...
Article
July 10, 2007
To weld or not to weld Alclad
I have some aluminum sheet that I would like to use to fabricate a project. The only marking on it is "Alclad." Other than that, I have no idea what alloy it is. Can you tell me what filler metal to use to weld it? Whether you realize it or not, you have seen Alclad sheet hundreds of times. The... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2007
Welding ASTM A514 or A514M-05 steel?
Cost and efficiency dictate manufacturing and fabricating trends in most industries. In addition to implementing lean work flow practices—better, faster transportation and processing and minimal inventory—many companies turn to the use of higher-strength, lighter-weight materials to reduce... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2007
Beyond Commodity
The decision to switch to metal-cored wires involves much more than just a financial investment. Because they comprise only about 4 percent of the overall cost of a welding operation, filler metals often are perceived as a simple commodity. They have a per-unit cost and require ongoing... Read more...
Article
May 22, 2007
Welding shop economics
Photo courtesy of Hobart Brothers.
Resource purchase price and utilization have an impact on welding shop economics. Both have real value, but the latter is by far a more practical concern.
The general work forces in today's factories and industries are considerably smaller, less... Read more...
Article
May 8, 2007
Arc Welding 101 - Paint tank troubles
I am building a 400-gallon paint tank and I'm having trouble with leaks when using gas metal arc welding (GMAW). I'm using a welding machine running on 440. My best results come when running hot 19.5 on the heat and about 21/2 on wire speed. I am using a trimix gas and 0.035-inch 308 wire.... Read more...
Article
May 8, 2007
Fiber lasers weave out of the lab and into metal fab
Fiber lasers are more monolithic and integrated than most other laser types, making them suitable for portability. Editor's Note: This article is based on the authors' presentation at the 2nd International Workshop on Fiber Lasers, Fraunhofer IWS, Dresden, Germany, July 2006, and a... Read more...
Article
May 8, 2007
Arc Welding 101
I am building a 400-gallon paint tank and I'm having trouble with leaks when using gas metal arc welding (GMAW). I'm using a welding machine running on 440. My best results come when running hot 19.5 on the heat and about 21/2 on wire speed. I am using a trimix gas and 0.035-inch 308 wire.... Read more...
Article
May 8, 2007
Aluminum Workshop
I have a fabrication project involving 5454 aluminum plate, and I was told to weld this alloy using 5183 filler wire. Is this correct? If you check any of the charts showing the recommended filler metals for the various aluminum alloys, you will find that 5554 is the recommended filler wire... Read more...
Article
May 8, 2007
Breathing easy
Being in the health care business, Carroll Healthcare Inc. supports the long-term health needs of patients. It's now doing the same for its welders. Carroll Healthcare, London, Ont., Canada, manufactures a variety of furniture for the long-term health care market, including more than 20,000... Read more...
Article
May 8, 2007
Blasting the bottleneck blues
For Farmer & Irwin Corp., a mechanical contractor based in Riviera Beach, Fla., increasing the productivity of its HVAC pipe fabrication shop was more than just a good idea, it was a necessity. Founded by R.E. "Bob" Farmer and R.R. "Dick" Irwin in 1956, the company is committed to meeting... Read more...
Article
April 10, 2007
Welding austenitic stainless steel
Because of its inherent corrosion resistance, austenitic stainless steel has become a cost-effective, staple material for long-term applications in many industries, such as petrochemical, food processing, and transportation.
Also known as 300 series, austenitic stainless steel poses... Read more...
Article
April 10, 2007
A recycled dream
Lankford doesn't miss a detail, creating a horse complete with saddle, bit, stirrups, and horseshoes. They say that one man's junk is another man's treasure, but Eric Lankford never thought it would go this far. The 51-year-old propane manager from Dickson, Tenn., had no idea that... Read more...
Article
March 13, 2007
Easing the grind of cost reduction
Automotive parts supplier SPX CONTECH had struggled with quick-attach abrasive fiber disks for its flash removal and deburring of its die-cast aluminum parts. The company found a replacement disk that lasts three times longer than the problem disks. The squeeze on companies in automotive... Read more...
Article
February 13, 2007
Arc Welding 101 - Preheating a shaft-sprocket assembly
We are welding 1018 cold-rolled, 2.5-inch-diameter shaft to a sprocket made from 1045 steel. We preheat the shafts to about 200 to 250 degrees. We are having some failure of the shaft, and I'm wondering what the proper procedure is for welding the assembly together. The sprockets are welded... Read more...
Article
February 13, 2007
Pressure to perform
Like many large fabricators today, Ward Tank and Heat Exchanger Corp., Charlotte, N.C., has struggled to attract qualified welding operators to fabricate large pressure vessels, one of the company's principal products. The vessels are used to contain various chemicals, solvents, and raw... Read more...
Article
January 9, 2007
Benefits of autodarkening helmets come to light
In 1981 Hrnell, now part of 3M, commercialized its first autodarkening filter for a welding helment. Twenty-five years later autodarkening technology has established a firm place in the welding industry not only as a piece of equipment that provides excellent protection, but also as a means... Read more...
Article
January 9, 2007
From Pens to Plasma Cutters
Miller Electric brought in a semitruck load of welding equipment for fabricators to try out. The Miller staff verified that their insurance premium was up-to-date, crossed their fingers, and allowed me to try manual plasma cutting and GTAW. I used the new 18-pound plasma cutter, the... Read more...
Article
January 9, 2007
Moving to modular welding fixturing
Wrayco Industries Inc. specializes in fabricating fuel and hydraulic tanks for heavy equipment such as backhoes, excavators, large off-road trucks, and generator and pump sets. It also manufactures tanks for specialty over-the-road applications from 0.16- to 0.47- inch mild steel plate,... Read more...
Article
December 12, 2006
Structurally, it's a job shop
Structural steel from Suburban Steel Co. is used to frame a Huntington Bank branch in Grove City, Ohio. Structural steel shops can be as inflexible as the giant beams they supply to commercial and residential contractors. Jobs are booked by the shop hour. More jobs lead to more hours and... Read more...
Article
November 7, 2006
Drive fast, weld right
"Drive fast, turn left" may be a popular motto among race car drivers, but motorsports fabricators have their own: "Drive fast, weld right." A successful racing team is the sum of its parts, from the fabricators to the painters to the drivers. One of the most critical components is welding,... Read more...
Article
November 7, 2006
New rule, new equipment
A magazine article made Greg Faulkner think about improving welding ventilation at his workplace last year. Faulkner, senior manufacturing engineer at Henny Penny Corp., an Eaton, Ohio-based food service manufacturer, knew that the high ceilings and air-conditioning equipment already in... Read more...
Article
November 7, 2006
Using job shop habits for a custom project
Like any good businessman, Ed Sauvola wants to take his company in a successful direction. That's why this instructor-artist-welder-machinist was interested in the challenge of designing custom welding fixtures for a manufacturer in his area. Sauvola (see introductory photo) has plenty of... Read more...
Article
October 10, 2006
Welder health and safety — Who's responsible?
Welding is a hazardous occupation. The Occupational Outlook Handbook from the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) describes the common risks associated with welding : Welding, soldering, and brazing workers often are exposed to a number of hazards, including... Read more...
Article
October 10, 2006
Luminous aluminum makes light work
Hapco had to design and fabricate aluminum light posts to replicate the art deco, Empire State Building period look of cast-iron poles made 70 years ago as part of a Triborough Bridge renovation project. The paint color had to be custom-blended to resemble cast iron. Special mounting bases... Read more...
Article
October 3, 2006
Fuel your safety knowledge
The following is an oxyfuel safe practices overview that includes newer changes to the "dos and don'ts." The preliminary "do," of course, is training, which you should have before you pick up a torch.
Experiencing Withdrawal?
One of the most common errors in oxyfuel system... Read more...
Article
July 11, 2006
Arc welding discontinuities
Common discontinuities include incomplete penetration, undercut, misalignment, and root undercut. Photo courtesy of AlcoTec Wire Corporation, Traverse City, MI. Quality by Design A weldment's service performance is determined largely at the design stage. This is the time to decide... Read more...
Article
July 11, 2006
Cracking the case
It's important to consider ways to make any welding process more efficient and effective. Welding abrasion-resistant plate, commonly known as AR plate, is no exception. Taking certain precautions and choosing the most appropriate filler metal for your application—whether you're... Read more...
Article
June 13, 2006
Not a one-stock shop
Is metalworking a vocation practiced by craftsmen or merely a set of processes performed by machines? Is it a labor of love or just a job that pays the bills? Is it a matter of reading blueprints and programming machines, or is it more than that? Visit Submission Custom Machine, the shop... Read more...
Article
June 13, 2006
Examining the finer points of 6010, 6011, and 7018
Photo courtesy of Hobart Brothers Co., Troy, Ohio. Editor's Note: This article first appeared on www.thefabricator.com on April 15, 2002. The student was terrified. "They're giving us 6011 instead of 6010!" he whispered. "Don't worry, it's just like 6010," I reassured him. We... Read more...
Article
April 11, 2006
Getting autobody welding down cold
Figure 1
Metalworkers perform finishing work on the weld seam of an A-pillar.
The bodywork for the Phaeton® and Bentley Continental GT® limousines is built at Volkswagen Sachsen's Mosel facility in Saxony, Germany. The purchasers of these models expect perfection... Read more...
Article
April 11, 2006
Metalfab: All that glitters is metal
Flying Car, "Monster Garage," Discovery Channel; Photo courtesy of DCI. Race-car House, "Monster House," Discovery Channel; Photo courtesy of DCI. The Teutuls, "American Chopper," Discovery Channel; Photo courtesy of Orange County Choppers. Jesse James, "Monster... Read more...
Article
April 11, 2006
Magical, mystical metal
"Eagle" Sculpture by Richard Wilson. What adjectives would you use to describe metal? Shiny, strong, durable, impenetrable? How about magical and mystical? No? Talk to welder and artist Richard Wilson and you just might come away with a whole new perspective on metal. How Wilson... Read more...
Article
April 11, 2006
How to perform tack welding successfully
TIG Tack Welding Photo courtesy of Weldcraft What Is Tack Welding? After items to be welded together have been positioned as required, generally by clamping them on suitable fixtures, tack welds are used as a temporary means to hold the components in the proper location,... Read more...
